32 Insider Things To Do in Nairobi – 2024

Here’s your insider’s guide to things to do in Nairobi. Many tourists in Nairobi think of Nairobi as little more than a stop en route to the Maasai Mara, Diani or Mombasa, but you are missing a trick. There is loads to see and do in Nairobi from visiting the sublime Nairobi National Park, dancing till dawn in Westlands or fine dining at one of the best restaurants in Africa. Check out this list for more ideas,

Nairobi National Park

Location: Main entrance on Langata road

Visiting Nairobi National Park is the one truly unmissable destination on this list. There are a plethora or more famous parks but Nairobi National Park always delivers. I rarely visit Nairobi National Park without seeing rhino, buffalo, and many, many game animals. Nairobi is the only city in the world with a national park in its centre, but this ain’t just any park. This is wild Africa on your doorstep. A proper safari experience only minutes from the city. Nairobi National Park has all the Big 5 except for elephants that sadly had to be relocated due to the park’s proximity to local residents. Make no mistake. This isn’t a zoo. The animals aren’t fenced. This is dirt roads, sticky mud, wild animals and, if you are lucky, bloody kills. It’s nature at its most raw, right on your doorstep and absolutely unmissable if you are in Nairobi. It’s No.1 on the list for a reason.  Read about my rainy day safari in the park here. 

Nairobi Street Kitchen

Nairobi Street Kitchen is an eclectic food and lifestyle space spread across three floors in Westlands Nairobi. A hugely popular destination for locals and tourists, the busy area combines different food vendors, art, music, and social events, creating a bustling urban scene. Similarly to The Alchemist, Nairobi Street Kitchen has multiple food trucks serving African, Asian, and Middle Eastern dishes, think tacos, sushi, Indian food and burgers as well as a bar offering cocktails wines and beers. NSK is known for art exhibitions, pop up markets, cultural events and live music.

Snake Park Nairobi

Location: Langata road opposite the Galleria mall

The snake park is a slightly misleading name. There are many snakes: mambas, boomslangs, and a slightly aggressive cobra that head-butts the glass whenever I go. There are other animals: lions, cheetahs, zebra, antelope, ostrich, crocodiles, and giant tortoises that stare slightly miserably from their caged confines. I try to remind myself that there are zoos all over the world, but it seems particular cruelness to be locked up when your natural habitat is just a few km away.

I digress. In addition to the animals, there is a rather sorry looking play park for the kids. It has bouncy castles, slides, boats, swings and some rather rusty looking fairground rides. It also has some bumpe’ cars that go on for hours and that the kids adore. The rides are extra to the admission. It all sounds rather sorry for itself, doesn’t it? If you are looking for a way to pass the time. Or want to see some animals up close without paying the high costs for the safari walk or Nairobi National Park then it’s worth checking out. An interesting day out for the reptile obsessed or bored children.

Karura Forest and the River Café

Location: main entrance on Limuru Road

Karura Forest is a vast area of indigenous forest located within the city. Despite being surrounded on all sides, buy a jumble of tall buildings, once within the forest, you could be a million miles away from civilisation. Bike and walking trails criss-cross this jungle of trees and flowering plants. Monkey’s chatter and tiny Dik-Dik leap through thickets as brightly coloured Turaco watch you from tall bamboo forests and ancient trees. Karura is home to civets, genets, honey badgers and even jackals. Spending a day here is easy. Take a walk, eat lunch at the fabulous River Café, and finish it off with a go on the obstacle course.

Live Music and Cold Drinks at Geco Cafe

Geco Café on Mbaazi Avenue is a popular, casual venue where you can eat, drink, people watch and listen to live music. Geco Cafe specialised in jazz and Afro-house. Geco Café serves sandwiches, salads, burgers and Kenyan food. The café has a warm, rustic feel with comfortable seating, wooden décor, and an outdoor section, making it ideal for casual dining, working remotely, or relaxing with a book. In additon to live music, they host creative events, art exhibitions, and poetry nights.

David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

Location: Magadi Road

The world famous David Sheldrick Elephant Orphanage rescues orphaned and injured elephants from all over Kenya and Tanzania. A team of dedicated workers (these guys even sleep with the baby elephants at night) work to rehabilitate and re-home the elephants. Visiting time is 11.00 where you can view the adorable babies and enjoy a talk with the caretakers about the work the centre does. Read my blog on David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Kenya.

Adopt an elephant for $50 USD, and you can visit any day at 5 pm, which is a more interactive experience. You will see the elephants stampede back from the park at supper time and meet and touch each elephant and their carers. Note: as of 2023, you must go to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust website and book a slot to visit the elephants. It can be booked up weeks in advance at busy times of the year, so book as early as possible.

The Giraffe Sanctuary Nairobi Kenya

Location: Duma Road, Hardy

The Giraffe Centre is one of the best-loved attractions in Nairobi. I never tire of visiting these gentle giants. The Giraffe Centre allows you the chance to interact with Giraffes, meet them, feed them, and even kiss them. The Giraffe Sanctuary opposite offers a short 1.5km walk where you could bump into a giraffe or a warthog. Read more on my trip to the Giraffe Centre here.

High Tea at Giraffe Manor

Location: Duma Road, Hardy

Next door to the Giraffe Centre is the superbly luxurious Giraffe Manor. Beloved of Instagrammers and celebrities worldwide. This is THAT hotel. The one where the Giraffes that poke their heads in the window whilst you eat your lunch. The cost of a night at the hotel will drain the colour from your face as quickly as the cash from your wallet, but you can sometimes phone up on the day and find out if there is any space for tea. If there’s a gap, then grab it for an unforgettable experience.

Lazy stroll at Ololua Forest

Location: Karen Road, Karen

A less well-known forest than Karura, this small portion of wildland tucked away in Karen has a perfect 5 km stroll. The walk will take you past a waterfall and a cave (beware the bats) and through remarkably quiet woodland. You’ll spot monkeys and birds of all types, the occasional Dik Dik and even the odd hyena. Into Geocaching? Spice up your walk a bit with the added thrill of a treasure hunt.

Shopping And Lunch at The Village Market

Location: Limuru Road.T

The Village Market is my favourite mall in Kenya; a gorgeous light and airy greenhouse of a place. The Village Market is a truly wonderful place to spend a day. I sometimes go there just to hang out (and visit the oyster and champagne bar). There are over 20 excellent restaurants, and a food hall where you can sample wines, cheeses and other local goodies. One of the widest selection of shops in Kenya, from local chains to secret antique shops. Nowhere in Kenya are you going to find big named brands stores, but this is the first place I’d head for shopping if I wanted to seek out something special. If you are in to shopping then add this to your list of things to do in Kenya.

Cultiva Farm – One of The Top 20 Best Restaurants in The World

Location: Ndovu Road, Langata

We’re lucky to have one of the best restaurants in the world right here in Nairobi. Specialising in farm-to-table food, the ambience and quality of the food at Cultiva Farm are, well, they are world class. Known for its rustic yet refined dining experience, Cultiva Farm blends organic, sustainable farm setting with gourmet cuisine.

The restaurant is led by Ariel Moscardi, a Le Cordon Bleu-trained chef from Ecuador, who takes great care in sourcing the finest local ingredients, some of which are grown on-site. The beauty of the food, quality of the service, and the criminally moreish cocktails make Cultiva Farm a must-do on your list of things to do in Nairobi.

Cocktails With a View at Hemingway’s

Location: Mbagathi Road, Karen

5* hotel, Hemingway’s is all slick marble entranceways, double staircases more in keeping with ‘Gone with the Wind’ and sweeping views over the Ngong Hills. Its elegance is refined and about as ‘posh’ as you get in Nairobi. However, even if you are glued to your flip-flips and never out of your short shorts like me, you can sneak in and enjoy amazing cocktails on the terrace. The sunset over the hills is epic.

Authentic Mexican delights at Mercado

Location: Westlands

Mercado offers Mexican food in a swanky setting high up in the Kenrail building in Westlands. Head there for cocktails, guacamole and tortillas with a view over the city. The décor is sophisticated yet relaxed, and it’s a lively place to enjoy a drink and a meal. The food isn’t blowing your head off amazing if you are properly into Mexican food, but you can get all your Mexican staples and you won’t be disappointed.

Visit The Karen Blixen Museum

Location: Karen Road

If you are into history or harbour a love of ‘Out of Africa’ then a visit to Karen Blixen’s former home is a great insight into famous colonists’ life. Her house has been preserved as it was when she lived there. As Baroness Blixen sold or gave away most of her belongings, a great effort was put into sourcing the original ornaments and mementoes from homes throughout Kenya.

Take a Day Trip to Naivasha

Location: Rift Valley

Lake Naivasha is a 90-minute drive out of Nairobi. The drive takes you into the Rift Valley and offers breathtaking views over this great gash in the earth that stretches some 6000 miles. One of the larger lakes in the rift that is also freshwater. It is home to over 500 hippos and many species of birds. You will often see wild giraffe, zebra, and antelope grazing at the side of the lake. Head to Carnellys for a relaxed lunch under the shade of acacia trees. Check out the woodpeckers, abundant Colobus monkeys and take a boat trip to view the hippos. If you know someone that is a member of the Yacht Club then persuade them to take you. It’s a piece of heaven on earth.

Further Reading on Naivasha

Hippo Point Naivasha Place to Stay

Hells Gate National Park – A Day Trip From Nairobi

10 Unforgettable Places to Visit in Lake Naivasha

Eat Ostrich Balls at Carnivore

Location: Langata Road

A ‘Beast of a Feast’ goes the slogan and indeed, you can eat ostrich balls, crocodile, and most other type of African game meat you could wish for. Styled like a Brazilian Churrasco, Carnivore is pure theatre. Waiters attend you with a constant stream of barbequed meat all served on Maasai swords. The now infamous Dawa cocktails were invented at Carnivore and your Dawa waiter passes by rather too frequently with his gunslinger belt of limes and vodka. It’s tourist heaven, but still a great thing to do in Nairobi. A vegetarian option is available.

Shop at Spinners Web Kitisuru

Location: Kitisuru Road

Everyone’s gonna tell you to head to the Maasai markets for your African crafts, but here’s the secret. The market is actually pretty small. It also moves around daily, so you have to find out where it’s located. Needless to say, it’s full of tourists. Spinners Web has vastly more stuff to buy than the markets and the prices are fixed so you don’t have the hassle and the bargaining. It’s a huge shop filled to the rafters with all kinds of goodies. You’ll find Maasai Shukas, beaded jewelry, art, clothing, antiques, pottery and glassware. It’s also a beautiful shop, located in a greenhouse type building with a café serving cakes, coffees, smoothies and salads. Make a day of it and stop for lunch.

Take a Hike on the Ngong Hills

Location: Kona Baridi

Wherever you head in Karen, you’ll see the Ngong Hills. This 3077 hectares of forested hills were made famous through Karen Blixen’s books and the film. Shrouded in romance and mystery, walking on the hills is a perfect day out. A 5-hour walk from end to end, you need to take a guide with you. You can find one at the entrance at Kona Baridi, but for more information, read my blog on hiking the Ngong Hills.

Safari ‘lite’ at the Safari Walk

Location: Entrance to Nairobi National Park on Langata Road

The Safari Walk has a zoo like feel. It is up to you if this is a good or bad thing. A raised platform circles land adjacent to the National Park. Many of the animals here have been rescued or rehabilitated from the park and are unable to be released back into the wild. A raised platform circles the grounds from which you can view cheetahs, lions, hyenas, rhinos and others. This is a great day out for kids as the walk only takes half an hour.

Though a zoo in Kenya may seem counterintuitive, the truth is that safaris can be disappointing. You could spend a whole day in Nairobi National Park without seeing any big game, but on the Safari Walk, you have a guaranteed chance to spot all your favourites.

Cocktails at Zen Gardens

Location: Spring Valley

Zen Gardens is a modern Pan Asian restaurant and café. Catering to all needs, it has an exquisite fine dining restaurant called Bamboo, but I prefer the much less formal Jade Gardens Cafe. A relaxed space café that curves around the lush green gardens with casual food of a very high standard. A sushi menu is also available.

Zen Gardens is a great place to bring the kids, as a playground is tucked around the corner (great if you don’t have kids and don’t want to see them). The cocktails, the delectable food, and the peaceful gardens are well worth adding to your list of things to do in Nairobi. Don’t forget to visit the freestanding patisserie and ice cream parlour. Read my blog on Zen Gardens here.

Sushi at Haru Japanese Restaurant

Location: Karen Road, Karen

Possibly the best sushi in town is at Haru Japanese Restaurant. It is located in a small, unassuming building in a shopping mall on Karen Road. The interior and tiny garden are surprisingly pleasant. You could be anywhere in the world at night, with candles burning and torches flaring. The sushi is unctuous, moreish and memorable in all the right ways. Read my blog on Haru Japanese Restaurant.

Buy Art at Banana Hill Gallery

Location: Banana Raini Road.

Banana Hill Gallery showcases art and sculptures from over 70 contemporary Nairobi artists. The art scene in Nairobi is enormously exciting, with artists old and young starting to gain global recognition. You will have the opportunity to buy that painting of a lion you have been swooning over, but there is so much more than just wildlife art. Inspiration is taken from rural life, from the streets, and from nature. Can’t make it there, you can buy art online at the Banana Hill Gallery website.

Ngong Racecourse Nairobi

Location: Ngong Road

Ngong Racecourse is the only thoroughbred-racing venue in the country.

Enjoy a family-friendly day at the races or check what other events are on at the racecourse. They often host concerts, dogs shows and fashion shows. A fantastic family day out.

Follow Alice Down The Rabbit Hole at Kitengela Glass

Location: Kitengela, through Ongata Rongai

Kitengela Hot Glass is an hour’s drive out of town, through dusty roads where camels and donkeys graze. It is perhaps my favourite place in Nairobi. Anselm Croze and Nani have, between them, created two of the most bizarre, fascinating and beautiful places I’ve ever been to. Kitengela Glass and Nani’s place are right next door to each other, with the more commercial Kitengela arriving first along the road. But to call the Kitengela commercial is misleading. True enough, the final glassware and ornaments are ordered and shipped all over the world. And also true that Kitengela now has 5 stores throughout Kenya but it’s still an otherworldly experience into the surreal.

Central to the Kitengela experience is the huge dome that houses furnaces where you can watch the glass being blown. The entire Kitengela site, and in particular Nani’s next door, is an art gallery. Sculptures dot the place; those that you recognise; the grim reaper, a hobbit house and a car ploughing into the earth, sit side by side with Dali-esque forms from deep within the imagination. Words cannot describe nor do the place credit. Only a visit will suffice. Oh, and the glassware is incredible. It is impossible to visit Kitengela without coming home with something new.

Feel young again at Brew Bistro

Location: Westlands & Ngong Road (not visited)

You might already be young, but I’m definitely into middle age. A visit to Brew Bistro reminds me of all the nights out I used to have in London. Large warehouse space CHECK. DJ booming over a dance floor CHECK. Men and women on the prowl CHECK.

It’s not quite the Clapham Grand, though. The cocktails are lush; they serve really good burger and ribs style food, and to be honest, with its great terrace and chill-out areas, it is more restaurant than a nightclub. As the night presses on, the atmosphere becomes charged. If you can ignore randy businessmen looking for company for the night, then it’s a great night out.

Dinner then Dancing at The Talisman

Location: Ngong Road

The Talisman is one of the most popular restaurants in Nairobi. It is consistently at the top of voting polls. What I like the most is the relaxed and informal atmosphere, combined with efficient service and scrumptious food. Eclectic surroundings feature carved wood, Kitengela glass, tented seating and little fireplaces tucked away for the odd rainy day. There is a playground for the kids and a kid’s menu, but it isn’t overtly child focused. The Talisman never falters and never lets you down. It’s voted the best for a reason.

Take a tour at Kazuri Beads factory

Location: Langata, Karen

Kazuri Beads were started by two mothers who were looking to find work back in 1975. As their beads proved popular, they soon realised that other mothers around Nairobi were looking for employment. Kazuri has since developed to provide employment for over 340 women who work all day to create exquisite jewellery and pottery.

A tour of the workshop and meeting the women is a worthwhile and insightful way to learn about the lives of local women and the creative process that is put into the beads. The onsite shop sells jewelry and pottery at very reasonable prices. Buy a gift with a wonderful backstory.

Catch a Move at a Nairobi Cinema

Prestige Cinema

• Location: Prestige Plaza, Ngong Road.
• Special Features: A smaller but cosy cinema offering a more intimate setting compared to larger theatres.

Westgate Cinema

• Location: Westgate Shopping Mall, Westlands.
• Special Features: Known for its comfortable seating, Westgate Cinema is a favorite for families and people in the Westlands area.

Century Cinemax

• Location: Sarit Centre, Westlands.
• Special Features: One of the newer cinemas, Century Cinemax is modern with comfortable reclining seats and state-of-the-art projection.

Fox Cineplex Sarit

• Location: Sarit Centre, Westlands.
• Special Features: One of Nairobi’s oldest cinemas, Fox Cineplex offers a nostalgic experience but has also updated its technology with 3D viewing.

Soft Play at Two Rivers Mall

Location: Two River Mall,

Sometimes you just want to chuck the kids in a soft play and chill. Two Rivers Mall is home to the awesome Magic Planet soft play. Perfect for kids to burn off energy. It also has rides and a trampoline park. For bigger kids or adults, there is a fun park outside with huge waterslides and a skate park. And, of course, Two Rivers is a fabulous destination for eating and shopping.

Nairobi National Museum

Nairobi National Museum gives visitors (and residents) a wonderful Kenya’s history, culture, and wildlife. Exhibits include paleontological findings, ethnographic collections, and displays of Kenya’s diverse bird life. The Snake Park, adjacent to the museum, is a popular add-on.

Bomas of Kenya

If you are spending a few days in Nairobi, I suggest you visit the Bomas of Kenya for an immersion in Kenyan culture. At Bomas of Kenya, you can explore traditional homesteads (bomas) from various Kenyan tribes and watch traditional dances and music, showcasing the country’s rich cultural heritage.

Food Trucks & Live Music at The Alchemist

The Alchemist in Westlands is a Nairobi institution known for its nightlife, food and live performances. The Alchemist regularly has live bands and DJs heavily leaning towards reggae, electronica and hip hop. It’s famed for its food trucks, which offer a range of casual dining-themed cuisines. The Alchemist is popular with Kenyans and the expat crowd.

 Where To Stay In Nairobi

Here are two blogs detailing places to stay in Nairobi. My top picks for Nairobi Hotels are below:

12 best 5 Star Hotels In Nairobi

The 12 Best Nairobi Hotels – Where to Stay in Kenya

Further Reading on Things to Do in Nairobi & Kenya

35 Best Restaurants in Nairobi – UPDATED 2024

Kids Nairobi : 34 Ways To Smash Those Fun Days Out

Nairobi Nightlife: A Vibrant Experience for Expatriates

21 Incredible Family Friendly Resorts in Kenya 2024

11 Off The Beaten Track Destinations in Kenya 2024

39 Unmissable Tourist Attractions in Kenya – 2024

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